Can the Rams extend their lead?

Our leaders, Ramsgate, know they will still top the table no matter their result at VCD Athletic, but will want to extend their lead if possible. The Rams are undefeated in the league, having won five of their six matches, and also managed their first cup win in midweek. Vickers have won their last two league matches, results which have seen them climb to fifth, but will hope to quickly put behind them a seven-one midweek Kent Cup thrashing at the hands of Herne Bay. Last season Vickers took six points from the Rams, and Ramsgate will want to prove they have improved since then.

Whitehawk, unbeaten in third place, are on the road to Sheppey United. The Hawks have played ten matches this season in all competitions and have lost only one- and hammered four goals past Ashford United in the Velocity Trophy in midweek. The Ites have been better than their results suggest, and perhaps a four-nil Kent Cup win over Premier Division Cray Wanderers in midweek might help them to believe that.

Ashford United will hope to quickly bounce back from that Velocity Trophy hammering, but they are back in Sussex for the second time in a week as they travel to Littlehampton Town. The Nuts and Bolts haven’t yet found consistency but have looked very good in flashes, whilst the hosting Golds could say the same, and are without a win in three- but will go above their visitors with victory.

We’ve a Kent derby as Sittingbourne host Chatham Town. The Brickies saw a three match winning run come to an end with two defeats last week, in League and FA Trophy; whilst the Chats cup commitments have seen them play only four league matches so far, winning three of them. They can concentrate on the league now, having been knocked out of the FA Cup and FA Trophy last week.

Cray Valley PM delivered a thumping to Folkestone Invicta in the Kent Cup in midweek, and have lost only one of their last ten matches across all competitions. The Millers are on the road to Lancing, a side they defeated at Culver Road as recently as 13th September, a four-one FA Trophy win giving them confidence as they head down the A27 again. The Lancers have only one win from their last eight, but did hold promotion-chasing Whitehawk to a goalless draw last time out. Last season’s meetings delivered one win each.

We’ve a Sussex derby as Burgess Hill Town welcome East Grinstead Town. The Hillians will hope to transfer their cup form to the league, as they are yet to record a league win and start the day in second bottom, a place we didn’t expect to find them and we suspect they didn’t expect to find themselves. The Wasps are relatively comfortable in eleventh, but since their last league win on August Bank Holiday Monday have departed Cup and Trophy, as well as picking up a league defeat against Sheppey United. Last season’s meetings were both home wins.

Chichester City are at home for the second time this week, as Faversham Town brave the roadworks and roundabouts of the A27. City don’t have a league win since August 16th, when they defeated Burgess Hill Town- and they also defeated the Hillians in the Velocity Trophy in midweek. The Lilywhites have lost five of their six league matches so far- but September did bring them two Trophy triumphs. The last time the two met, just before Christmas, hosts City came away with a five-one victory, with goals from Ethan Pritchard (2), Connor Cody, Emmett Dunn and Tyrone Madhani. Bola Dawodu replied for Town.

Corinthian, still looking for their first league win, host a Haywards Heath Town side who also would have expected to have more than one victory so far this season. The hoops have only one FA Cup win and one FA trophy win- on penalties- to show for their efforts so far this season, whilst heath will have hoped to have turned the corner after taking four points from their last two matches. Both matches between the two sides last season ended goalless.

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